In stillness the world is restored…
Traditional teachings from around the world emphasize the crucial role of stillness to the life of wisdom. Whether this takes the form of quiet reflection, silent meditation, or contemplative prayer, it tends to evoke a sense of aware presence or alert stillness that all would agree is conducive to wisdom in thought, word, and deed.
In alert stillness, we seem to make contact with a deeper (or higher) intelligence that becomes manifest in and through our lives, ultimately impacting not only our lives, as individuals, but the life of our families and communities, as well.
Unfortunately, our culture has made the cultivation of stillness a very low priority, rendering our collective contact with any deeper or higher intelligence tenuous, at best! While we may each have our own ideas how best to remedy this situation, few would challenge the wisdom of these words, attributed to Lao Tzu:
Through return to simple living comes control of desires.
In control of desires stillness is attained.
In stillness the world is restored.
So, let us begin… Let us begin in whatever religious, spiritual, or philosophical tradition we are comfortable with, but let us dwell especially on those elements of our tradition that help us to cultivate a significant measure of stillness in our lives. And insofar as we are able, let us share the wisdom of stillness with our children and grandchildren.
Indeed, we can begin, today, by quietly reflecting on this truth and sharing it– by precept and example –with the next generation: In stillness the world is restored…
A Memo For You 